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Traveling to Montreal/Quebec City First Time!

I have already gotten some great comments and advice on the subject in the Fodorite Lounge but wanted to post here, of course. There will be four of us who have never been to Canada before .... DH & I, grown son and 16 yr. old GD. Son & GD live in Boston area, so we'd drive through and pick them up and go from there. I've ordered travel books but would love any comments about the destination (we'd go in July) and why you liked (or not) your visit there.

I'm especially interested in how to split the days between the two. I had started out thinking 3/3 but am now thinking maybe four nights Montreal, two nights Quebec after comments in the Lounge. Between the four of us, we love museums, hockey, music ... outdoor concerts, jazz, good restaurants ... especially French, seafood. We like to be in the center of historic areas and then able to walk to take public transport to do things, though we will have our car when needed. We love nice hotels with character ...

Do you think six days are enough to scratch the surface well of the two areas? Thanks so much for any help you can give. The trip will probably start July 26, and I think we'd go to Quebec City first.

Elsie,
You probably already know this but in case you don't: Highways, hotels, restaurants, border crossings will be busier than usual Thursday, July 31 to & including Monday August, 4, 2014 because of the Civic holiday on Monday, Aug 4 in some parts of Canada. In Ontario it's a holiday. Not sure about the Province of Quebec but, in any event, you will get increased traffic from Ontario into Quebec that weekend. And, a lot of stores are closed that day.

( I have replied on your Lounge thread but not about this holiday b/c I did not know your proposed travel dates until now)

Splitting yout time 2 QC & 4 Montreal is about right unless you want to spend an overnight in the Quebec countryside. In a nutshell, Quebec City is extremely scenic and historic, but fairly small. Montreal is a bustling, culturally diverse city with tons of dining and shopping options. Both cities often have outdoor festivals in the summer, I'm sure there will be something going on that week.
In Quebec City, definitely try and stay in or very close to the old city, by far the most intersting part of the city. Both the upper and lower sections are good areas to stay.
In Montreal you will have 3 distinct areas consider staying:
Old Montreal which is very charming and touristy, the downtown with it's skyscrapers, art galleries and department stores, or the Plateau with it's small restaurants, cafes, quiet parks and sidestreets. Our choice is always the Plateau, but all areas are great. There are no large chain hotels in the Plateau, just small hotels and b&b's.
A fun area for dining in Montreal is St Denis and Duluth St on the Plateau, and area rich in interesting byob restaurants, many with backyard terraces. Another activity that Montreal is noted for is bicycling. There are hundreds of miles of bike paths throughout the city, and rental kiosks everywhere.

You won't go wrong with either 3 days Quebec City 3 days Montreal or 4 days Montreal 2 days Quebec City in my opinion. I live in Montreal and have visited Quebec City about 7 times over the years. While public transportation is not perfect here, I find it better than in most of North America.

Zootsi pretty much sums up the main points. If you like markets, the Atwater Market and the Jean Talon Market in Montreal are worth a visit. Check out Theatre de la Verdure to see if there is a free outdoor concert that appeals to you while you'll be in Montreal (the Orchestre Metropolitain de Montreal sometimes come and they're fantastic).

Never been to Quebec city, but I know Montreal well. 3 days isn't enough to fully explore it, but you can do plenty in that time
The Montreal subway system is excellent- I recommend getting a multiday pass and use it almost exclusively. Taxis are expensive and can be hard to find. I don't know much about the bus system, I'm sure its fine,
Definitely plan at least one day exploring old Montreal. It is charming, lots of art galleries and interesting shops,and fascinating architecture- 300 year old buildings, etc. There is an excellent museum there the name of which eludes me, but you will have no trouble finding it, its well advertised. They are excavating old montreal there, right to the origins of the city in the 1600s. And you can actually walk through the excavations- its fascinating. It starts with a very informative film on the history of Montreal
The botanical gardens should be seen as well. They are spectacular and in july will be in full bloom.
Explore St Urbain, the site of many of Mordecai Richlers novels- very multicultural and a cool part of town.
Olympic park, the site of the 1976 Olympics, is also well worth visiting.
As for language, remember you are in a French city and culture. Almost everyone speaks English and you will have no problems, but what they DONT like is people disrespecting French. If you know any French, even a few words, use it, people appreciate it. Or identify yourself as a tourist, apologize for not knowing French, and they will really appreciate it and communicate with you in English.
I strongly recommend a fodors guide for both cities for restaurants and other recommendations- it is almost impossible to get a bad meal in Montreal, and the choices are endless.
And be aware in July it will likely be very hot and humid
ENJOY!